Voodoos fans learned to embrace Russian Tomas Yachmenev during his three impressive seasons with the Voodoos, but now the Voodoos have another player with Russian heritage to get to know.
Rodion Tatarenko, in only his second NOJHL game, netted four goals and Jacob McLellan netted the overtime winner in a 5-4 victory for the Voodoos over the Timmins Rock.
The win gave the Voodoos the impressive three-game sweep during their first northern road swing taking victories in Cochrane Friday and Hearst Saturday night.
Timmins would strike first in this one as Riley Brousseau picked off a cross-ice clearing attempt by the Voodoos right at the blueline, which allowed him to skate in and fire a shot that Powassan netminder Alex Bugeja could not fully control, and allowed Nicolas Pigeon to bury the rebound from point blank range.
Answering back with a late-period power play, Tatarenko, a Battalion prospect, chopped in a loose puck from the top of the crease, following an attempt from the left point.
Trading tallies in the second stanza, the visitors regained the lead one minute in as Tatarenko clicked on a man advantage for his second of the day.
Regrouping, Timmins’ Schwindt drew the Rock level at 3:21, only to see Tatrenko hit his hat trick nine minutes later as Powassan carried a 3-2 lead after two.
In the third, the Tatarenko continued his impressive play as he bagged his fourth goal of the afternoon on a highlight reel move as he slipped the puck between his legs, then darted around a Rock defender before ripping a shot into the left hand corner past Timmins netminder Gavin McCarthy.
Getting one back, a couple of shifts later, the hosts controlled the face off and worked it to team captain Schwindt who fired in his second of the afternoon from the top of the left circle to make it 4-3 with 9:37 to go.
Then with McCarthy out for an extra attacker, Schwindt forced extra time off a goal-mouth scramble by going upstairs with Bugeja down and scrambling to get back into position.
Skating three aside in OT, the Voodoos regrouped and won it as Alex Little put a pass on the tape of McLellan in the left circle where he cut in, and while falling, wired the game-winner into the top corner to complete a 3-0 weekend road trip for Powassan.
Bugeja made 31 saves to collect the victory, his fourth of the early season, while McCarthy’s 20 stops helped Timmins earn a point in defeat.
The 5-0 Voodoos will be back on the ice Friday night for their home opener as they host the Hearst Lumberjacks.
